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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Memorandum Decision
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A quick definition of Memorandum Decision:
A memorandum decision is a short document written by a court that only tells you what the court decided in a case. It doesn't explain why the court made that decision. Memorandum decisions are not very important because they are not published or used as examples for future cases. However, in Arizona, lawyers can sometimes use them as examples if there are no other cases that talk about the same thing.
A more thorough explanation:
A Memorandum Decision is a document written by a court that only provides the outcome of the court's decision on a case. It is usually brief and does not include the court's reasoning or explanation for reaching the decision. Memorandum decisions are not published or binding precedents, so they cannot be cited in court. However, in some states, they can be used as persuasive authority under certain circumstances.
Suppose a court hears a case and decides that the defendant is guilty of a crime. The court may issue a Memorandum Decision that simply states "Defendant is found guilty." This decision does not explain how the court arrived at this conclusion or provide any legal reasoning. It is just a statement of the court's decision.
Another example could be a court hearing a case about a contract dispute. The court may issue a Memorandum Decision that states "Plaintiff is awarded damages in the amount of $10,000." This decision does not explain how the court calculated the damages or provide any legal analysis. It is just a statement of the court's decision.
These examples illustrate how a Memorandum Decision is a brief document that only provides the outcome of a court's decision without any legal reasoning or explanation.